The present invention relates to the field of aids for assisting a golfer in obtaining a proper swinging movement of a golf club, and more particularly, relates to an overswinging alerting mechanism for a golf club or golf club practice aid which generates a visual and/or audible indicator for the purpose of alerting the golfer to an improper swinging movement of the golf club.
In the past, various devices have been employed to indicate an improper swinging movement of a golf club so that hopefully a golfer can perfect his swing. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,549,350 to Deike issued Aug. 11, 1925, a whistle is either secured within a recess of the golf club head (see FIG. 4 of Deike) or extended from the top of the golf club head (see FIG. 5 of Deike). This whistle produces the loudest sound at the point of greatest speed of the golf club, which Deike contends should occur at the time of contact of the golf club head with the golf ball. It has been found, however, that the proper golf swing is not necessarily purely dependent upon striking the golf ball at the maximum speed of the golf club.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,057 to Ragan issued Aug. 11, 1981, a golf club is provided with an air flow hole through its head which contains a whistle which according to Ragan provides an indication of the smoothness and velocity of the swing based upon the turbulence of the ambient air at the air flow hole""s outlet head. However, due to variables which determine air turbulence, such as wind gusts, etc., it has been found desirable to provide an overswing alerting mechanism which is not dependent upon the air turbulence of the ambient air.
Moreover, since the whistle in Ragan is provided in an air flow hole in the golf club head, the Ragan golf club can only be utilized as a golf practice device unless the Ragan club head employs a second whistle 6 which is provided in hole 12 and the first hole 4 and whistle 5 are eliminated as is shown in FIG. 5 of Ragan. In this embodiment, Ragan contends that sound output may be adequate in some instances if the upper end of the shaft is left open to provide an adequate flow of pressurized air. However, Ragan concedes that this golf club swing trainer will only provide a sound output that may be adequate in some instances, particularly when the golf club is swung in the absence of excessive background noise. However, in view of the many conditions in which golf is played, it has been found desirable to provide an overswing alerting mechanism which is not dependent upon the presence or absence of background noise.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,530 to Oka et al. issued May 1, 1973, a golf swing training attachment is attached by a suction disk to the golf club head wherein a vibration plate emits a sound when the club head reaches a desirable speed. However, in view of the speed of swing of the golf club, such attachments have been found to fly off the golf club. Therefore, it has been found desirable to provide an overswing alerting mechanism for a golf club which is permanently mounted on or incorporated within a golf club, or which is detachably affixed to the club so as to provide an overswing alert without flying off the club during a swing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,556 to McLaughlin issued Dec. 4, 1973, an attachment is externally mounted on the golf club shaft which includes a pair of differently oriented and pitched whistles which McLaughlin contends do not emit a sound when the swing of the golf club is perpendicular to the club face but will emit differing sounds when there is a hook or a slice. However, the generation of sounds from the two whistles is only dependent upon the angle of the golf club face with respect to the intended swinging direction of the golf club. Accordingly, the McLaughlin golf club practice aid does not produce an audible sound merely upon the occurrence of an overswing condition.
Moreover, the United States Golf Association (xe2x80x9cUSGAxe2x80x9d) promulgates and administers the Rules of Golf in the United States. It is believed that each of the golf club practice devices mentioned above does not comply with at least one of the USGA""s rules relating to improper equipment. For instance, the USGA Rules of Golf provide that, in general, the club must not have any external attachments (see USGA Rules of Golf 1998-1999, xc2xa74-1a). Therefore, it is believed that the golf club practice aids of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,730,530, 3,776,556 and the aid of FIG. 6 of U.S. Pat. No. 1,549,350 do not comply with at least this USGA Rule. In addition, the USGA Rules of Golf provide that the club head cannot have holes therethrough as it must be generally plain in shape (see USGA Rules of Golf 1998-1999 xc2xa74-1d and App. II, xc2xa74-1d). Therefore, it is believed the golf club practice aids of U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,057 and the aid of FIGS. 1-4 of U.S. Pat. No. 1,549,350 do not comply with at least this USGA Rule. Under the USGA Rules of Golf, penalties, such as penalty strokes, etc., result from use of improper equipment. It has therefore been found desirable to provide an overswing alerting mechanism for a golf club which is believed to be in compliance with the current USGA Rules of Golf.
Therefore, it has been found desirable to provide an overswing alerting mechanism for a golf club which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a golf club with overswing alerting mechanism which generates a visual and/or audible indicator for the purpose of alerting a golfer to an improper swinging movement of the golf club.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an overswing alerting mechanism which is not purely dependent upon the speed at which the golf ball is struck by the golf club.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an overswing alerting mechanism for a golf club which is not dependent upon the air turbulence of the ambient air to generate an audible sound upon the occurrence of an improper swinging condition.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an overswing alerting mechanism for a golf club which is reliable in producing an audible sound upon the occurrence of an overswing condition regardless of the presence or absence of background noise.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an overswing alerting mechanism for a golf club which is permanently incorporated within the golf club or is detachably affixed to the golf club.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a golf club with overswing alerting mechanism which is believed to be in compliance with the current USGA Rules of Golf.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a golf club with an overswing alerting mechanism which incorporates a digital read for indicating the speed at which a player swings the club. The indication may represent the actual speed of some portion of the club (e.g. the club shaft), the relative speed of a club portion from swing to swing without regard to any actual speed, or may merely represent how hard a player is swinging without reference to the speed of any club portion (e.g. a representation of how fast a players arms are moving during a swing).
Another object of the invention is to provide an overswing alerting mechanism which is equipped for transfer of swing information to an external memory and/or processor.
Through use of the present invention a golfer""s swing speed can be assessed and a correct swing speed for the golfer can be determined. By swinging at the determined speed the golfer is more likely properly execute the swing, returning the club face to the ball square on the downswing and avoiding poor shots (e.g. xe2x80x9cslicesxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9chooksxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cworm burnersxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpop upsxe2x80x9d).
Various other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the ensuing detailed description and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
In accordance with the present invention, a golf club with an overswing alerting mechanism is provided which produces an audible sound upon occurrence of an overswing condition. As is typical, this golf club includes a golf club shaft having a hollow opening extending therethrough and a golf club head supported on an end of the golf club shaft with the golf club head having a striking face for hitting the golf ball.
In accordance with one of the general objects of the present invention, the overswing alerting mechanism disclosed herein can be permanently incorporated within the golf club of the present invention. More particularly, the overswing alerting mechanism of the present invention is housed entirely within the hollow opening of the golf club shaft. This overswing alerting mechanism includes a sound generation assembly for generating an audible sound upon occurrence of the overswing condition. In a preferred embodiment, this sound generation assembly is in the form of a horn provided within the hollow opening of the golf club shaft. The sound of the horn can be heard through the standard opening provided in the grip butt of the golf club grip.
In order to provide electrical energy to the sound generation assembly, an energy generation member is electrically connected thereto and supported within the hollow opening of the golf club shaft. In a preferred embodiment, the energy generation member is in the form of two 1xc2xd volt hearing aid batteries.
In order to activate the energy generation member only upon the occurrence of an overswing condition, the overswing alerting mechanism for the golf club of the present invention includes a circuit activating or closing member provided in the hollow opening of the golf club shaft. In one embodiment, this circuit closing member includes a weight member which upon the occurrence of an overswing condition closes a contact member which in turn impinges upon a contact adjustment screw/switch to complete an electrical circuit such that an audible sound is generated by the sound generation assembly. More particularly, the weight member and the contact member are positioned within the hollow opening of the golf club shaft so that the weight member will only close the contact member if the golf club is overswung.
In another preferred embodiment, the circuit closing member includes an electronic transducer which is electrically connected between the energy generation member and the sound generation assembly. Upon sensing an overswing condition of the golf club, the electronic transducer completes an electrical circuit such that an audible sound is generated by the sound generation assembly.
Moreover, an LCD readout can be provided in the grip butt of the golf club which indicates to the golfer the speed of the golf club shaft.
Accordingly, a preferred embodiment of a golf club with overswing alerting mechanism has been designed which is believed to be in compliance with the current Rules of Golf of the United States Golf Association as the overswing alerting mechanism is not externally attached, as it is entirely housed within the hollow opening of the golf club shaft, and in addition, the club head remains plain in shape (i.e., with no holes therethrough).
In an alternative embodiment of the invention the overswing alerting mechanism accommodated within a housing which is capable of being detachably affixed to a golf club. In this manner the mechanism may be attached to a golfer""s club as a practice aid and detached from the club when the golfer is playing a round.
Further, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the overswing mechanism includes one or more accelerometers for the purpose of detecting overswing conditions. The data from the accelerometers may be processed and/or stored in a processing unit internal to the mechanism, and may be passed from the internal processing unit to a second processing unit, external to the mechanism, for further processing and/or long term storage.